Healthcare debate continues: AARP suffers from taking a stand

As the debate over health care reform continues, the prime organization for protecting the rights of older Americans has lost 60,000 members since July 1 over its stance on the health care overhaul, according to the Associated Press. The American Association for Retired Persons (AARP), said at least 60,000 individuals discontinued their memberships, saying they disagreed with the AARP's position on health care reform. AARP has been running ads in support of a health care overhaul and has sponsored an online forum for President Obama, but the organization says it does not support a specific bill and it will not support any plan that reduces Medicare benefits. A spokesman for the organization said it was not unusual for the 40-million strong member organization to lose members who disagree with its position on a particular issue. He said AARP gained almost 400,000 new members during the same period and that 1.5 million members renewed their membership.